Jump to content

I HAD A BALL: My Friendship with Lucille Ball


Recommended Posts

It will never happen.

 

I really hope this thread doesn't get ugly. LOL

 

I just received a phone call from Carole Cook. She said the book was like a lovely love letter. She was so proud of me

 

That's a ringing endorsement if I have ever heard one! :) I hope it makes the cover of the next edition.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 95
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I really am getting nice feedback

Why are you so surprised Mikey? You were there, not like those other books based on rehash of older books and opinions from senile people who were there fifty or sixty years ago, LOL! I'm sure it's one terrific read written by her second biggest fan, after all, i have to be number one as i was her biggest fan while you were still a twinkle in your mommy's eye. I'll give you that you might have been her number one stalker though, LOL!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I got a bit bogged down with work this weekend so only had time to get through a third of the book, but I love what I've read so far. Michael, your ethusiasm and excitement for your interactions with Lucy bubbles right off the page and it is truly a second-hand thrill! It is also great that you go into detail about your time on the "Chico" set, something I've always wanted you to expand on.

 

One question though -- At your first taping, what was the joke James Komack made about your shirt? As a fellow Canadian, I want to know if I should be offended! :marionstrong:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just finished the book. Feel free to use my review for the 2nd edition:

 

"Nasty! Vindictive! That venomous fishwife Michael Z. (for "Zinger") Stern doesn't have a good word to say about anybody."

 

Just kidding, of course. It's nice to read a book written with such affection and such a positive perspective. This is a side of Lucy most people don't get to read about, because it's the "dirt" that sells. Such as: all the times she went out of her way to brighten people's lives in little ways--when she didn't have to. I feel this is the real Lucy. We don't really realize how hard it must have been to be Lucille Ball in public, especially in the 70s-80's. Getting all that sincere adulation from total strangers and knowing you're responsible for a memory that will last their lifetimes. Thanks Michael for the uplifting read. Can't wait for the TV-movie version! Justin Bieber might be looking for a juicy part.

 

PS: And I believe this is the ONLY book ever written where Gary gets treated well.

PPS: And I don't feel quite so silly now knowing that I was not the ONLY one who went through her trash.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

 

PS: And I believe this is the ONLY book ever written where Gary gets treated well.

 

You shouldn't have mentioned that. You may have cost poor Michael a sale from Claude! LOL

 

Just shy of the 2/3 mark, Michael. Particularly loved the stories of The Friar's Club, America Alive, and calling into Michael Jackson from the 7-11!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

25 or so pages to go! I just got to the part of Lucy's 5:30 a.m. redecorating emergency. LOL Regarding your Life With Lucy stories, it felt like I was IN the studio with you. Great stuff!

 

Unless it is covered in the last few pages, I'm curious -- why did Gale sign the Great Airport Chase photo to you with his "apologies"?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lucy and Gale signed about 100 of these pictures for me and Lucy did it within a day and Gale took about two weeks to get them back to me. So thats why he wrote what he wrote. Also, I never knew where that picture took place. So it was from Here's Lucy and not the Lucy Show. Good to know.

 

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You did a terrific job with this book, Michael! It's a great read. I read the whole thing in one sitting. I love reading stories of fans meeting stars they love and it being a great experience - it being Lucy makes it even better. I got a secondhand thrill reading it.

 

I only picked up on one "error", and it's not even a REAL error because Michael is quoting was he's been told, but....that's definitely Lucy doing her own singing with Eddie Albert for "Making Whoopee".

As far as I'm able to determine, Carole Cook did Lucy's singing on ONE Here's Lucy: Carol Burnett/Gym Musical. She dubbed Lucy's "Big Spender" number for a Jack Benny special; and a couple of stanzas, not full songs, in Dinah Shore's Like Hep ("Big Spender" being one of them). All of these shows aired in the calendar year 1969.

It's been written that Carole dubbed other times, but I'm not convinced. Lucy's dubbed by someone in Mod, Mod Lucy, Carol Burnett/Unemployment Follies (except for "Falling in Love"), Generation Gap and T. Ernie's Fun Farm, but none of them sound like Carole to me. She's also dubbed in "Patty Andrews" and that's definitely not Miss Cooke. Maybe others but I can't think of them at the moment. For the first three season's musical shows, she did her singing only once (I'm not counting "Snoops, the Lawyer") in "College Reunion Show" or as I call it

"The Musical Mystery of the Missing Marilyn Maxwell".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I only picked up on one "error", and it's not even a REAL error because Michael is quoting was he's been told, but....that's definitely Lucy doing her own singing with Eddie Albert for "Making Whoopee".

As far as I'm able to determine, Carole Cook did Lucy's singing on ONE Here's Lucy: Carol Burnett/Gym Musical. She dubbed Lucy's "Big Spender" number for a Jack Benny special; and a couple of stanzas, not full songs, in Dinah Shore's Like Hep ("Big Spender" being one of them). All of these shows aired in the calendar year 1969.

It's been written that Carole dubbed other times, but I'm not convinced. Lucy's dubbed by someone in Mod, Mod Lucy, Carol Burnett/Unemployment Follies (except for "Falling in Love"), Generation Gap and T. Ernie's Fun Farm, but none of them sound like Carole to me. She's also dubbed in "Patty Andrews" and that's definitely not Miss Cooke. Maybe others but I can't think of them at the moment. For the first three season's musical shows, she did her singing only once (I'm not counting "Snoops, the Lawyer") in "College Reunion Show" or as I call it

"The Musical Mystery of the Missing Marilyn Maxwell".

 

Lucy also sang with ther own voice in "Lucy and Liberace" and "Lucy Goes Hawaiian, Part Two" from the first three seasons.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Lucy also sang with ther own voice in "Lucy and Liberace" and "Lucy Goes Hawaiian, Part Two" from the first three seasons.

 

You're absolutely right of course. Forgot about those two. I think she did a pretty good job singing in both.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Carole also said she sang on the Here's Lucy where Lucy Carter meets Lucille Ball. Doing Lucy's voice and her own. I have found a few other boo-boo's and I will be fixing them in the weeks to come. Thank you HarryCarter for LOVING THE BOOK. (You do LOVE it don't you???) I wanted other Lucy fans to LOVE the Lucy I knew.

 

Michael

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...